Sit, Stay, Swim
by Ienyu
Summary: With the come of high school he had decided to turn a new leaf, but it was difficult to keep his past from catching up to the present, and the last thing he needed to worry about was taking care of some pet. Then again, animals could be quite therapeutic. Except it wasn't exactly a puppy he was bringing home. Full summary within. Reverse!Kevedd /Normal!Kevedd. Pet!Au
1. Chapter 1

Sit, Stay, Swim

Summary: He wasn't the same Kevin who stood at the top and preyed upon those underneath. With the come of high school he had decided to turn a new leaf, but it was difficult to keep his past from catching up to the present, and the last thing he needed to worry about was taking care of some pet. Then again, animals could be quite therapeutic. Except it wasn't exactly a puppy he was bringing home. Man, his mom was going to be pissed. Reverse!Kevedd /Normal!Kevedd. Pet!AU.

Disclaimer: The Reverse!AU was created by Asphyxion- however this fanfiction is in no way affiliated with their original concept.

A/N: Here she is- first Kevedd fanfiction. I had posted the original idea on tumblr, but here it is- the first chapter. Initially I thought pairing these two together was… an interesting concept, but after being prodded to read a few fanfictions… hoo boy. I understand the characters may not be spot on, but I'll work on it. ; w ;

* * *

"You're kidding me." He listened intently, fascinated by what his friend had just said. The son of a shepherd nodded, confirming the validity of his tale.

"Yes, very rare back in old country but existing, with variety greater than the pimples on Yonick's back."

"That's a nasty synonym, dude."

"Let Rolf finish Kevin- a barking rooster is not fit for the farm, yes?"

The red-head nodded, though he hadn't a clue to what the foreign phrase could've meant. Through Rolf's heavy dialect, he listened to the others account. According to the boy, life extended beyond the simple split between man and animal. Between the margins existed something else entirely, a select few with the ability to switch from one side to the other. Enthusiastically, Rolf explained to him as they sat on the sidewalk that hot mid-July afternoon of a village whose inhabitants possessed these unnatural abilities, such as the amazing feats of strength performed by a man with horns his Nono knew-and the speed of another who ran with the body of a horse.

It was an entertaining story, but Kevin didn't take it seriously. He had known Rolf since the immigrant had moved to Peach Creek the previous year. The guy was a little eccentric. If these hybrids, sub-beta's as they were apparently referred to in Rolf's homeland, really existed, where were they?

#

It had been a rough afternoon.

School had just let out; in his haste to get home and work on a few blueprints he had been mulling over, he tripped a step and fell, his hastily written notes taking to the breeze.

"Crap-come back!" Kevin's eyes desperately followed the loose papers, thin body trying to keep up. He jumped to grab at one, but it flipped teasingly just out of reach. Another one scuttled across the ground, leading him on a chase across the parking lot before picking up speed and taking off to join the other. The freckled teen cursed. There went his breakthrough in reducing information static during sensory processing. He'd have to try to remember what he'd written and try to reproduce the layout. Something about coding the formulaic equations after the numerical dynamics…? No, that made no sense. His mind was too fried after that big pre-calculus test to remember what he had jotted down during that rare epiphany he'd experienced first period.

Kevin sighed in defeat, turning to retrieve his bag; dropped in favor of chasing his precious papers, when a hand grabbed the back of his collared shirt.

"Hm. Polyester. How… primitive." The hand released and he was pushed forward. Oh boy- he knew that voice.

"Plank says to watch yourself, loser."

And that one too.

The teen turned to face the two, meekly avoiding their eyes. Older then both of them and taller too, it still felt weird looking down at the two when they spoke. "Uhm. Hey, Johnny. Jimmy. Can I help you guys?"

"Quite, actually. Johnny?"

The bald teen smirked, extending a green sack by its strap to Kevin, allowing it to slide off of Plank's wooden edge to the asphalt where it landed with a sad sag. Kevin picked the battered backpack from the ground, bunching it in his fist. Jimmy fingered his mouth brace with a smirk.

"Don't look so upset, we're just retuning trash to its rightful owner."

"It isn't trash," He ground out, exhaling heavily. He tried to keep his eyes trained to the ground. "-and you really shouldn't touch other people's belongings without permission. "

"Oh no, I'm positively shaking. Are you going to _fight _me Kevin?"

He tried to ignore the last comment. Irises turned to the two, flickering with a dull emerald fire from under his hat. "That's enough you guys. What did you do with my stuff?"

"Oh dear, I don't seem to remember. Do you, Johnny?"

"Nope. What about you, buddy?" The bald freshman waited, looking to the board of wood in his hands. It's misshapen, crayon face stared back vehemently and Johnny smiled. "Plank says check the pool."

Kevin could feel his face burn as he stormed back into the school, the distant sound of malicious snickers at his expense throwing even more of his frustration into the pit for kindling. It took about an hour to retrieve everything that had sunk to the bottom. One of the items that had been dumped was a borrowed chemistry text book. He held the soggy hardcover by its now limp binding. Already the pages were beginning to take on a wavy appearance. It would cost about 80 dollars to replace the particular version.

He could feel the familiar fire begin to ignite within him but smothered it quickly. Easy Barr, easy. From the damp mess of notebooks and pencils he dug for a red palm-sized ball, giving the foamy sphere a few strong squeezes. He probably looked pretty lame in his gym trunks by the pool, stack of saturated belongings by his side, as he furiously clenched the ball in his hand. The stress ball had been Nazz's idea, and as far as she was concerned, he had moved past it and was able to control his… anger. After a few dozen more decent squeezes, he tossed it in his bag under the rest of his belongings and headed to the locker room to change back into his sweater-vest and khakis.

Second time leaving; he walked with all the form and esteem of a bending sapling, his green bag trailing behind. His watch- unless damaged from the water, read that it was now approaching four. He would have been home hours ago. His mom and dad were probably putting two and two together- late Kevin equaled a bullied Kevin.

What was he supposed to tell his parents this time? His mother was already on the brink of calling the cops to file a harassment complaint, and whatever his mother thought his father always absentmindedly backed. He sighed. It was hard to believe that at one point he had actually been friends with the pair of trouble-makers. Puberty certainly had that way of changing people, for better and for worse. He thought back fondly to his days in Peach Creek Middle School. Things were so much simpler then, and no one ever dared harass him in any way. Guess those were the temporary perks of being an all-star jackass. But that was all in the past now.

A faint grin grew when he heard a soft crinkle under his shoe. He picked up the piece of slightly wrinkled graph paper. Score- one of his notes! Perhaps karma was on his side for once. He scanned the area for any signs of the others. The distance from the high school wasn't more than a block. By the direction of the wind, he could probably estimate the general direction of where the other pieces wound up- though there certainly were a number of other variables to consider such as the interference of automobiles and fauna.

Kevin thought about the possibility of an animal coming in contact with his notes and grimaced. He wasn't much of an animal person- they were too unpredictable for his tastes. In middle school he had a golden retriever named Felix. He was a great, gentle canine who never caused too much trouble around the house, but one day while taking him for a walk, the dog suddenly tore from his grasp into the road. And Felix was no more.

It was a difficult memory, but one he was well on the way of recovering from. Nonetheless, he refrained from forming any more bonds with another animal, so it came as quite the surprise that he'd be interested in something related to them.

Scattered papers momentarily forgotten, he slowed his stride as he came in contact with a familiar joint. It was a pet shop, one he had frequently visited with Nazz when she tried persuading him to move past Felix. Of course, at the ripe age of twelve he thought he could absolutely _never_ love another animal again.

Through the big storefront windows, past the small puppies scratching against the window, he spotted something unusual. It was only a glimpse, but what he saw twisted something within him. He had no intention of stepping inside the store, still a harbor of sour recollection, yet he could feel something prodding him to investigate. It would only be a moment, in and out- if he was quick, it should be alright.

The door jingled as he entered. An older gentleman asked if he was looking for anything in particular and he shook his head, maneuvering towards the back of the shop.

The soft sound of filtering systems bubbled in the air, the lighting above much scarcer than in the front. A mosaic of cool blues and greens lined the back wall, but it wasn't any of these that had caught his eye so aggressively. Maybe it had just been his imagination.

He turned, about to give up his search when it caught him again. The same icy stare. Off in the corner, half hidden behind a display case of aquarium cleaners, a tall cylindrical tank stood. It was quite massive, stretching floor to ceiling. It was a bit embarrassing for him not to have noticed it's obvious presence, and yet he felt that somehow, many others had made the same mistake.

A few stickers were evenly pressed over the glass. One read 'Do not touch glass', another 'Caution, handle with care'. Through all of the cautionary fuzz, he spotted a small white tag close to the bottom dated from over five years ago.

It read as followed.

Name: Eddward M.

Sex: Male

Breed: Galeocerdo cuvier (supposedly, further examination necessary)

Special Notes: Not recommended for purchase- exceedingly violate in particular situations.

Looking into the tank, he didn't see anything inside… maybe if he got closer. Forehead barely touching the cool surface, he squinted into the dark water when the glass suddenly shook as if shot. He reeled back in shock, falling back unceremoniously on his back.

His eyes met with those of white luminescence.

"Do you not understand English? Refrain from touching the glass, it leaves unsightly fingerprints."

To say he was shocked would have been an understatement. Under a dim glow, pearly skin shone with blooms of blues and grey. Had the form not spoken to him, he would have believed the other was a drowned body- though the vivacious eyes that bore down on him were anything but dead. With little effort the other floated- suspended in the watery prison. Every bob he made, medium raven hair flowed from under a black beanie pulled down just over his brow. Despite being completely submerged, the other teen who stared at him with crossed arms was completely dressed from a pair of close-fitting black jeans to a red shirt and dual jacket. Moreover, it didn't appear as though he had any sort of oxygen tank on him, or special equipment to allow him to speak underwater.

"Wh-what the-"He was lost for words. Then he saw them- slits of skin on the others neck that opened and closed gently, as if breathing.

He picked himself off the ground, pushing the bridge of his glasses higher on his nose.

Eddward frowned, watching the little human's reaction. It certainly had not been what he expected. Rather than quickly evacuating the premises, the other seemed to grow increasingly persistent in the touching of his tank. It was galling.

"Are you…you're Eddward, right?"

So the other boy wanted to make acquaintances. He however, was in no mood for social pleasantries. The shark snarled, flashing of the top row of his teeth menacingly. He noticed the red-head's face falter a watt before sparking back to its full curiosity. He frowned, that typically worked on most. Even the old store-keeper knew to keep his distance. "…So you read my card. Congratulations, you're literate."

The blatant insult flew right over his head- Kevin just couldn't believe what he was seeing. His mind was churning through what it was processing, finally picking out a familiarity. All those years ago, that story Rolf had told him. What he assumed was a tall tale told to help the boy integrate himself into the cul-de-sac had been true, and he was seeing living proof. In honesty he was scared and still in disbelief. How could something like this exist under the radar, yet be in a place like this- some run-of-the-mill pet shop? After 17 years, other than Rolf's story, he'd never heard of such an existence. To be proved otherwise was enough to take a bit of breath away. Why weren't there more of these things walking around? Why hadn't knowledge of these beings surfaced through his life? At least there should've been an Animal Planet documentary called, he didn't know, 'People Who Looked like People, But Were Actually Freaky Fish Guys'. As much as he wanted to allow reason to rule his mind, he felt more like Ed by the minute. Visions of these seemingly otherworldly beings ran through his mind- since the creature before him appeared identical to any other human, perhaps they've been walking among these hybrids for years now.

But why now? It seemed a little too unreal- this sort of meeting with the male before him.

Unconsciously, his eyes once again drifted to the small white card on the tank and re-read it_. Not recommended for purchase_. If felt weird seeing that said about another person- then again, could Eddward even be called that? Despite the deterrent, prices were listed for the shark-man lower on the tank. His eyes widened. That was a lot of zeros- more than he had in fingers. He breathed softly, underlining the number with his finger.

"You're sure worth a lot." Though his dad was the president of the jawbreaker factory, not even he made that much.

"I'm not exactly your everyday occurrence." The shark's voice held a distant bitterness. He wondered…

"Son, we're approaching closing time!" The older gentleman called, and Kevin scrabbled to check the time. Crap, it was already this late? His mother was going to flip. He looked hesitantly up at the hybrid, who had taken to leaning against the opposite wall of the tank.

The shark opened his mouth to speak, a thin trail of bubbles escaping pale, parted lips. "I believe the man said it was time to leave."

The shopkeeper held the door just as he emerged from the back. He smiled, wrinkles pulling at his aged face. "Find everything alright?"

Kevin nodded. "But I have a question. About that guy in the back-"

The smile fell.

#

He felt awful. Laying on his back, black cotton boxers and grey-t-shirt donned for bed, he stared up at the ceiling- a poster for his school's Quiz Bowl tournament staring right back. Removing his glasses, he set them on the nightstand beside him and wiped his brow tiredly.

He had thought he was being stealthy, but the back door closed with unexpected dynamism that gave him away. His father was still working, so it was his mom that sat him down to talk. Her voice was tight, obviously not believing his excuse. He tried rationalizing that he was almost an adult- not coming straight home after school shouldn't have been such a big deal. She nodded, knowing he was right, but nonetheless remained unable to quell her own worry. She had then removed his hat from his head, rustling auburn hair with a "Just stay safe, honey."

It sucked seeing his mom worry about him like that, but his pride kept him from attending those self-help groups or getting the school involved, and determination kept him from knocking Jimmy and Johnny down a peg himself.

He lifted his arm into the air, flexing his bicep. The muscle lifted a little before weakening, dropping back into place. Much of what he had shrunk away from the lack of rigorous exercise he had once participated in so religiously. There were times he missed it, but it was nicer not having to dedicate his life maintaining such a public image.

Under the thick layers of self-absorption he was actually relatively smart; he just never had the adequate time to excel in school with participation in football, basketball, and swim team. He had actually tried fitting in hockey before his mother set the maximum number to three sports at any given time.

Things were hectic then, and now, most of his time was spent quietly at home, or at practice sessions with the Quiz Bowl team.

Suddenly his mind switched over to Eddward. What did the shark-teen do all day? While the tank's size was impressive, it certainly wasn't wide enough for any real mobility. Was there another level to the store where the tank opened up, allowing passage between land and water? Could the shark even leave the water? Asking the shopkeeper about the hybrid proved to be little help as the man said little, and what more he knew, Kevin felt was being kept guarded.

Maybe Rolf would have some insight in all of this; after all, he had been the one to tell Kevin all those years ago.

He rolled over onto his stomach, reaching for his phone. His fingertips just grazed its surface and he grunted, extending his arm even more. Snatching the phone up, he blanched when he noticed all of the missed messages and phone calls. Some of them were from his home phone, but the others… He swiped down, notifications sliding down the screen.

Nazz: _Kevin, where are you? Your mother just called me. She sounded worried sick._

1 missed call(s) from: Nazz.

Nazz: _I just called but you didn't respond. Everything alright?_

1 missed call(s) from: Nazz.

Nazz: _Pick up the damn phone!_

Nazz: _Was it Johnny and Jimmy again? I swear I'll break their shins if I find out it was them._

7 missed call(s) from: Nazz.

Nazz: _I swear, if you're not badly injured somewhere in a ditch, you're going to be when I see you next._

Oh great, the one day he decided to forget his phone at home. Sheepishly, he typed up a quick apology to the blond. While she appeared mellow, she was actually quite fiery, equally so against anyone who would seek her friends harm. Begrudgingly, he decided it would be better to face the blunt of her anger now than to let it simmer over night.

Switching contacts, Kevin got busy with his message to Rolf. When he was finished, his thumbs hurt and his eyes felt strained.

He'd have been lying if he wasn't anxious for a reply, picking it up and checking more often than he'd like to admit. It was approaching nine- while he knew the son of a shepherd worked late on his family's farm; he was probably asleep by now. He always thought nine was relatively early to hit the hay, but it made up for the guy waking at the strike of three. Farm life was some crazy stuff- he'd been accustomed to urban life until moving to the suburb town of Peach Creek, but he couldn't imagine what it was like to live in Rolf's footsteps.

He sank deeper into his bed and checked his phone one last time. Nothing. Guess he'd just have to ask in the morning. Pulling the linins out from under him, he wrapped himself in the multiple layers of cotton, shifting to the more comfortable half of his mattress. Dinner had been eaten, homework had been completed- plus a little extra studying towards the chemistry test in two weeks, and other than heading downstairs to catch an episode of Modern Marvels or the end of a game, which would ineffectively result in a painfully awkward confrontation with his father, all that was left to do was wait until the morning. It was still early for him, but he ended up deciding to pull it like Rolf and get to bed a little early. He lay there with his eyes shut, trying to stimulate the flow of random thought that would eventually put him to sleep. It took a while, but he gradually felt the effects. Just as the final blanket of sleep was being pulled over, his phone buzzed.


	2. Chapter 2

Sit, Stay Swim

A/N: First and foremost, thank you tattyguts for your awesome fanart! Also since not much is up yet about their reverse personalities, I'll just be going off my own head cannon for Rolf and Nazz.

Nazz- similar to her appearance in the reverse!au; rather than in a perpetual state of chill, she's quick to flare and is a bit temperamental. She means well though and cares viciously for her friends.

Rolf- He's basically the same, except he does not embrace the traditional ways of his family as much. That said, he still loves his way of living, it's just that he wants it to step into the modern age.

* * *

A tumbling gust flew down the cul-de-sac from a fast-moving car that passed the two, causing Kevin to instinctively reach up and hold down the rim of his hat. He followed the estimated path of the air current back to the sky where thin strips of cirrus clouds stretched across a vast blue. It was a peaceful sight, watching the long, puffy clouds trail through miles of sky, one that contrasted with the indignant, lithe-fingered hand snapping irately in his face.

"Are you even listening to what I'm saying?" Nazz chided, roping his attention back down to earth. He shrugged, offering her a lop-sided smile. She sighed, sliding her silver drugstore-grade glasses back to where they had previously sat before the poorly fitted frames drooped in her long-winded tandem- one that apparently went right over Kevin's shovel-shaped head. Again.

Under her breath, but loud enough for him to hear, "Mark my words. We're not done here, Kevin Barr."

"Aw come on Nazz, I said I was sorry." The red-head groaned. He loved the girl like a sister, but sometimes she just felt like one of those mothers who would yell at their kid's friends for throwing snow at their child in the middle of a snowball fight.

He knew he was going to be in for it when the message he had received the night before was titled 'meet me at the usual spot' and was composed of only one sentence: we'll talk later. Half-asleep though, he didn't have the energy to feel the dread that came with the implications the sentence held or the full disappointment that it hadn't been a response from the sender he'd expected until he had woken up and checked his phone again that morning.

For a moment, the thought crossed his mind that by some chance yesterday hadn't occurred at all and that he'd dreamt the entire thing. It would have certainly been easier to explain, especially considering how profusely unbelievable it had been.

The image of the half-shark floated in his imagination; unmoving and yet radiating fluidity that pulsated with life. He didn't know how else to truly capture the essence of what he'd witnessed in words. The discovery was still amazing to think about, and the impromptu encounter still sent a slight tingle down his spine. It was the feeling of knowing something no one else knew. Part of him wanted to share this unearthing with every person he passed, but another, stronger side of him- as childish as it may have sounded, wanted this special secret to remain just his a bit longer. Even in his message to Rolf, he had not directly told the other of Eddward's existence in their dull little town.

He stuck his hand into the pocket of his neatly pressed jeans and felt for his phone. It rested snug in the cotton cave of the pocket-lining. Speaking of, Rolf had not yet responded to the message yet. Odd- already well into the morning, he should have definitely heard back by now since as of late, Rolf had kept to keeping his phone on him after his last was accidentally stepped on by his aging goat, Victor.

"Kevin, we should probably get going if we don't want to be late. You're starting another unit in pre-calculus and I can't tutor you like last time if you miss anything."

"But what about Rolf?" He strained his neck around the old picket board fence trademark of their neighborhood, searching for a bob of dark hair running up to meet them like every morning.

"I don't know if he'll be coming." She frowned, "I think something happened last night. When I passed his house, I saw his Nana at the gate crying. She was shaking and had this look on her face, so I asked what was wrong."

"Really? What did she say?"

"I couldn't tell, something about" She paused, as if testing her next words on her tongue before saying them "-'he who licks the moon'. Sound familiar?"

Kevin shook his head. "Haven't a clue. Give me a sec, I'll just call to see if we should leave or wait a little longer."

He stuck his textbook between his legs to hold it, slipping his track phone from its nest. The line rung once. It rung twice. He waited patiently, and by the sixth ring without an answer he was about to give up and go on without the third member of their trio when the line linked. A hesitant voice answered through the static of the connection. "…Hello? Yes?"

The voice was hushed and shaky, and immediately Kevin began counting off the numerous names of Rolf's family to check if he had any younger brothers or sisters who might have picked up the teen's phone before realizing-

"Rolf? Is that you?" He tried to hide any incredulousness in his tone but there was no way the Rolf he knew would talk like that, even on his death bed. The guy was as rugged as a wall. Literally- he'd seen the mono-browed teenager stop one of the steers on their farm with his bare hands. It was pretty awesome. That was the Rolf he knew, so hearing the other sound so unlike himself was… unsettling.

"The son of a shepherd speaks."

"Uh, hey. It's me, Kevin. Are you okay? Nazz saw your Nana this morning and we just want to check if things are okay over there-"

"Your concern fills Rolf's home with the sound of new shoes, but Rolf apologizes. As Rolf speaks the cucumbers of Rolf's forefathers are soiling. This is a time of much sorrow, and Rolf will be required of his Nana to stop the spreading of the curds from reaching the rhubarb. There will… be no journey for Rolf today with white-napkin hat-boy and fuss-bucket Nazz-girl. "

"Oh." Was all Kevin could muster before eventually adding, "I'll get the work you missed for you then?"

"Rolf appreciates your understanding, Kevin." The voice at last said before the call cut dead, the broken line humming monotonously in his ear. Have you ever felt that there was something so obviously wrong with something; you were at a momentary loss for words? If there was a prime example it was just then, and the mutual look Nazz gave him as he shut his phone meant she was thinking the same thing.

The pair walked on, "Hey. I'm sure he's fine." He said, lightly punching the blonde in the shoulder. She reciprocated a lot less gently.

"Of course he is. I know that. But, just in case. Maybe we should go see him after school."

He nodded. "Ok. Meet me later at four?"

#

When they reached the school grounds, despite Kevin's insistence, Nazz remained by his side until he was clear in the building before parting ways.

"I'll meet you by that old lamp post next to the candy store at four, don't forget!" She called, giving him a wave before disappearing down the opposite hall where she merged with the moving cells of the school body.

Contrasting the way Nazz was gladly accepted into the walls of the cell-structure, he could not pass through the membrane quite as easily. Instead of fighting upstream like a flailing salmon in this maze of fishes he stuck to the side of the wall, swiftly moving out of the way if he drifted too far into someone's path. He maintained this low-key profile and for the most part went virtually unnoticed.

As he passed the athletic hall, he grimaced at the sound of the morning physical education class warming up in the pool. He was sure one of them would find a loose pen or paperclip at the bottom. This reminded him, he'd have to come clean to his chemistry teacher about what happened to the book, of course leaving out the whole 'it got dumped in the pool because Jimmy and Johnny are two loose balls in the ball sack' part. Which was another benefit to maintaining an unnoticeable presence while wandering the halls- if you can't beat them, avoid them. At least that was the strategy he had found the most successful. Too bad they had been waiting for him yesterday.

He exhaled exasperatedly through his nose. Really, what was their beef? Yeah they had all grown in various ways since childhood, but he didn't see how two of the most friendly and mild-mannered of the group could turn into such little ogres. Well actually, maybe he could. Man it had felt good to be able to walk dead center of the hall and have people move for you. It was like being at the top of a mountain, but-. He picked at the bottom hem of his green button-down. After a while it could get awfully lonely standing atop that mountain, and footing can become a struggle to maintain. A slip is inevitable sometime around.

Thankfully the rest of the day went on without a hitch. He had spoken to his chemistry teacher about the condition of his borrowed textbook and showed the older man the condition of the battered tome. Rather than scolding him, the teacher instead went on an eccentric tangent on the properties of the paper and how surprisingly none of the ink had run despite being introduced to the water-chlorine mixture and what possible experiments could be done to test the chromatography. And so on. Luckily the book was an older version, one with proven errors in theory, and was then therefore useless to the science department. Scotch free and a souvenir. Sweet.

He tucked the still curvaceous textbook in his bag, quickly shuffling down the hall. Out of habit, he stayed far from the center and gravitated closer to the locker-lined walls. In order to defiantly avoid another encounter with the junior asses, he stayed after school an hour past the official end of the school day. And yes, this time he called his mother. Yeash.

This time, neither Johnny nor Jimmy bothered to stay afterwards long enough to rile him up for round two. He breathed a sigh of relief as he withdrew from the pillar he stood behind. Yep, Kevin would definitely mark that day off as a pretty decent one; what with avoiding any trouble, not having to pay for damaged school property, and getting a free book-shaped rock to lug back home- though there wasn't any more use for it. He had what he needed from it; maybe he'd just donate it or toss it in some back-alley dumpster.

He checked the time on his phone. It was a while before the designated time to meet up with Nazz. He had some time to kill. An idea popped in his head, and honestly it was no surprise. The ex-jock had to laugh at himself for the clear excitement the thought of revisiting Edd had brought. He didn't mind so much about Rolf not being able to answer his message anymore, he could always just talk to the subject in person; if that bore no fruit, then maybe the son-of-a-shepherd would tell him after he and Nazz stopped by. A win-win, right?

With a spring in the freckled-teen's step he left for his destination, one of his shoulders tilted to accommodate the weight of the paper-rock and new science book. Gah, he really needed to ditch this thing soon.

The bell opened with a familiar chime as the ginger entered. The owner didn't seem to be present at the front as he had the previous day- only a vivid green and yellow bird there to greet Kevin with a bob of the head and a rattle of its own hanging bell, mirroring that of the doors. Tracing the same route to the back, his form was welcomed by the ethereal blue glow that opened to the myriad of fish tanks, each a moving orchestra of color and flow, and off to the side- the accenting sforzando. He wanted to once again feel the ample curve of cool glass, the soft warmth from the artificial lighting; for his glasses to clink the slightest when he'd try to press his face closer. What was it like in there, that partial space that had seemed to capture the ocean's deepest essential in the back of some store of all places? If he were to be plunged into the deep, he imagined that however it felt like, the closest he'd ever see anyone experience it first hand was the hybrid within, isolated in his own tiny sea.

Kevin could have sworn he saw the tips of the shark's ears twitch as he approached. Clearing his voice, "Hey, remember me?"

Edd responded slowly, drawing out his words that dripped with a sort of sarcastic cynicism. "Ah yes, you- the one who disregarded my labels. It can be quite difficult to forget someone who not only ignores boundaries on first meetings, but also has the grace in step of a lame horse."

Even while submerged in his case, Edd could detect the faintest vibrations in the water from the movement on the dry ground surrounding him. Though not as acute as if the entire store had been underwater, this particular individual's footsteps were simply heavy and loud, like those of a brazen oaf. And here he was again, clutching the shoulder strap of his satchel and looking up at him like a display. Pitiable his situation was. Had fate deemed to doom him further by exploiting his solitary days with this sudden thorn? Worse of all about this little thorn, was its inability to retain anything he said in its little capped-dome, smiling of all things at his response with a chuckle of "Cool". How mystifying. This certainly proved that looks in fact could be very deceiving. The day before, he had taken this 'Kevin' as a screamer- though he'd be hiding behind unwarranted sophistry if he'd deny the pleasant surprise of the other's return, even if only stemmed from the human's morbid curiosity.

This hole in the wall where he resided provided optimal obscuration from any undesirable eyes, but while he prized his solitude, the company wasn't completely impalpable; especially when the only face he'd seen for the past few years were that of the decrepit old man and his own pitiful reflection. It would be interesting to see where this turn of events would lead, and by the time he grew bored of this specimen, the little human would most likely lose interest in his existence as well. Of course before then, he'd need to set some more boundaries if this plan were to work, which the hybrid had no doubt would as long as his words were able to penetrate that thick, hominid skull of the boy before him.

"Kevin, correct?"

He nodded, once again struggling to keep the over-stuffed bag from tipping his thin-disposition over. Edd would have rolled his eyes had his nictitating membrane still not be in place from eating not too long ago. "I'm not sure how long you're staying, but if you plan on doing so, you need not to look as if your head is about to roll off the incline of your shoulders."

As if permission was all that was holding him back, Kevin allowed the bag to completely drop to the floor, the unsecured flap allowing a few of the contents to peak out. A particular cover of one of the mighty textbooks caught the hybrid's eye, bringing a strong recollection of the same edition he had once seen as a child. It was in a poorer condition of course than the one from his memory, but nonetheless all the same.

He wasn't sure how old he was then, no one bothered to tell him and he'd lost count, but he remembered seeing that same book before, its shining cover reflecting the lights like an unreachable gem upon a wooden stand he used to gaze at from a nook he favored in in a coral insert.

Kevin rubbed his shoulder, watching in interest at the way the shark-teen seemed to stare down at his bag with a glazed reminiscence not too different than the way his dad would look fondly up at the picture mounted in the den of he and his old war-buddies. Experimentally he pulled the book he had gotten that day completely out of his bag- Edd's eyes remained plastered. Next he tried the second textbook, and this time Edd followed the movement, squinting and looking away when Kevin rested the damaged book on his lap.

"It, uh. Fell in a pool." He offered, running his finger over the bumpy cardboard spine. "Pretty sad right? The pages are all wavy and some of the pictures are totally blurred. Most of the words are in pretty legible shape though. Wanna see?"

The forgotten temptation was too much to pass for Edd. "I'm not going to stop you."

Flipping the book around, he laid it out on the ground and tried to angle it for the shark to see. Inevitably the appearance of the small words were stretched beyond recognition through the tank despite numerous attempts of changing the various angles and height, and frustrated "Man, isn't there a way I can just give it to you to see?"

"There happens to be a door on the opposite wall that leads upstairs to where my chamber surfaces."

"What? Really? I was just saying that hypothetically, can I really?"

"I wouldn't have disclosed the information otherwise. It is locked with an alphabetical passcode. The password is 'Steven Spielberg'."

Tucking the book under his arm, Kevin looked up at the floating teen with skeptical humor. "Righteous, but like, Steven Spielberg as in, the director of Jaws? Seriously?"

Edd answered honestly, rising higher in the tank. "I wouldn't know. I've never heard of Jaws."

For some reason that kind of made him sad, humor fading. On normal accounts he'd question how the other boy didn't know about a movie as supplementary as Jaws, but reminding himself, Edd wasn't exactly normal. Based on assumption, the hybrid most likely knew very little of the outside world from whatever confined life he had.

His fingers stumbled over the key punch and he had to try a few times before entering the exact code- Steven Spielberg, no uppercase and no space.

Just in case Kevin checked behind him. He wasn't sure if he was even allowed to do this, but thinking back to Edd's obliviousness to one of the best movies in his opinion, it was the least he could do. Closing the door behind him, Kevin ascended the white wooden staircase. It was dark and there were no handrails. Instead he used the walls that closed in the flight, finger pads running over uneven plaster. At the top he was led down another hallway that veered to the right. This time there were glass light encasements at each end of the hall, casting their glow over slate-colored walls. There were two doors, and out of curiosity he jiggled the knobs as he passed them. Both were locked. They were probably used for storage or something like that.

As Edd had said, the hallway ended with the second light fixture, pooling into an open room. And it wasn't much other than that. Like the hallway, the walls were painted slate-gray, the floors an industrial concrete. Blue light from the pool was what lit the room, the wisps of refraction creating the illusion of waves against the smooth surfaces. Where there was supposed to be a window was completely filled in with brick. There were a few outlets, each a reasonably good distance from the mouth of the tank, which was raised another foot through the floor. The air was stepping out of a hot shower in the wintertime, damp and chilly; smelling strongly of petrichor and stone. Two tubes were attached to the side of the rim, leading down the side and into a corner where a large machine stood, operating to maintain the water to a livable degree for the hybrid. This is where Edd lived. The image was drastically different from what Kevin had been expecting. Then again, what exactly did he expect? He wasn't even sure if Edd could leave the water, but sure enough pale arms extended up from the surface, folding over the edge that the hybrid used to rest his chin upon.

Warm water splashed over the side as he did this, and not paying mind, Kevin sat down cross-legged in it so that his knees where touching against the side of the glass. Closer to the set-up was much warmer than standing in the open, which he attributed to the tropical nature of the water and workings of the machine. Once again he opened up the book, turning it to face Edd who actively began to scan the pages.

Kevin squinted his eyes, "How can you read in here? The lighting is so dim…" The pace he watched pearly white eyes move over the book was impressive- he'd barely been able to make out the bolded chapter heading and intro.

Edd answered absentmindedly, a trail of droplets leaving a path from where his hand wandered. "My eyes are well adapted to this lighting. Anything brighter would hurt my eyes." He paused, making a sound of content as he finished the first sub-chapter. "That said I could always remove these particular lens. However then I'd have the same difficulty to read the pages as you."

"That's kind of cool I guess. So like, night vision?"

"If that is what you wish to call it."

"And I also I was uh, wondering. What was it about my old science textbook that was so interesting before?"

Without breaking concentration on the pages, "Yes, I suppose my fascination with this battered volume would be to some extent something of inquiry…"He trailed off. "But before that, I have some things I need to touch base with you. First and foremost I had already informed you last meeting, to which you ignored. Do not touch my tank or any of the equipment. Another, next time you come, take off your shoes."

"My…shoes?"

"Yes, your shoes. The amount of noise with each step you make is startling for one of your stature." He made a face of displeasure, "And from here, I can see the copious amount of dirt between the rubbers of the outer-soles."

"Uh, I suppose that's doable."

He nodded; "Excellent" and the two went into a comfortable silence, Kevin having dropped his question at least for the time being. There were more things he wanted to learn about Edd, but for today he thought he made some pretty decent progress. As things were that moment, he was totally content with the way things were now; listening to the brief comments and sound of rustling pages emanating from the other before him. Perhaps it was also the extreme proximity he was to this creature of myth that dried his well of thought. They were so close; Kevin could actually observe the details of Edd's face. Then, when Edd had raised his face from the book to look up at Kevin- who had been slightly hunched, each detail came into such focus. As the hybrid spoke, Kevin's focus drifted to the other's mouth, tiny shark teeth poking from parted lips.

Intently, "Oh, one more thing. And hopefully this is a given. You reveal my existence to nobody. Understood?"

Oh my gosh, was that a gap between his two front teeth? The red-head resisted breaking out in a stupid grin at the thought of one of the deep's apex predators with dental issues. "Wouldn't do it for the world." It wasn't like he was planning on it anyway.

Content with his answer Edd returned back to his reading until- "Hey. Would you mind if I put something up on one of the walls?"

Edd clicked his tongue; could Kevin not save his questions until he finished the particular chapter? "If you feel you must. It's not like I spend much time here anyway."

Careful not to jostle the book, Kevin leaned back, sizing the walls for the perfect spot. Even if the gap-tooth didn't spend too much time up here, it would at least add something to the space. He'd want to place it where Edd could see it without it being too close that it could sustain water damage. It was hard to tell where on the wall would be good- even though the shark had his cool night vision; Kevin could just barely make out where the corners of the room met. There really needed to be another light in here- a lamp or nightlight at least. Wait- that sounded familiar.

Light, light, light- lamp. Lamp- lamp post. Lamp post- oh _crap_. What time was it? He didn't have his watch anymore, and his bag was still downstairs. He stood up, book falling to the ground with a wet pat when it hit the puddle. "Gezz, I can't believe I forgot. I hope I'm not too late. Sorry, but I have to go meet with somebody, but I'll leave the book there if you want, I was going to throw it out anyway" he quickly explained and the other half-nodded, picking the book from the ground and picking up where he last left, motioning with his free hand for Kevin to go on. Flying back down the corridor and down the steps, he thought back to what Edd had said about the impact of his footsteps and grimaced, softening his movements as much as he could for the rest of the way out of the store, grabbing his bag on the way.

Hand digging around the now lighter load, he unlocked the screen and checked the time, face tightening when quarter to four stared boldly at him. Sure enough she had waited for him, but her arms were tightly crossed over her chest, staring pit vipers at him as he broke his pace and waved timidly at her from across the street. Frowning, she literally punched the cross walk button and Kevin grimly dragged his corpse to his grave.

He itched the roof of his mouth with his tongue, scratching arduously for an apology but without a word she grabbed his sleeve and dragged him back home.

He thought she was going to be angry, but after a while she just shook her head, sighing as if he was an elementary school kid covered in finger paint. "Kevin, why on earth are you wet. You have water stains all over your pant legs. Don't tell me, did they throw your things in the pool again."

"No, no they didn't-" he assured, improvising something to explain to her "I accidentally sat on a wet bench. Soaked me through." She seemed to buy it.

Once the duo arrived, they instantly noticed something already seemed amiss. The Milevski household was startlingly quiet in comparison to its average symphony of life, the only sound heard coming from three fat chickens who clucked solemnly when Nazz opened the gate. Ever since part of Rolf's family from whatever old country he once lived in came to Peach Creek, all six members had managed to cram inside the existing house of three- making it Rolf, his father, mother, nana, nono, distant cousins Bastian and Yonick, nephew Fishel and great aunt Geula. There was never a dull moment in the family. Mix that with the chaos of 3 pigs, four goats, two cows, two dozen sheep, rabbits, a barrel of eels- yes eels, blowfish and more chickens than Kevin could count; and that was pretty much what stepping on the Milevski property was like. Not this silence that greeted them.


End file.
